John,

Nebraska lawmakers recently passed legislation to restore voting rights to over 7,000 people with felony convictions.

Previously, Nebraska residents who had completed their felony sentence were required to wait two years before registering to vote, creating confusion and unnecessary obstacles. Legislative Bill 20 eliminates this requirement, allowing individuals to register to vote upon completion of their felony prison or probation sentence. The law goes into effect July 2024.

This legislation continues to build on national momentum to expand voting rights to people with felony convictions. Since 1997, 26 states and the District of Columbia have expanded voting rights to people living with felony convictions, allowing more than 2 million eligible residents to regain their right to vote.

The Sentencing Project supported the passage of this bill by convening coalition meetings, providing policymakers with state-specific data on Nebraska’s disenfranchised population, increasing national and state media coverage on this critical issue, and amplifying the voices of legal system-involved Nebraskans.

While this win is an important step toward building an inclusive democracy, the work continues. Our friend and coalition partner Demetrius “Dee Dee” Gatson is among the more than 10,000 Nebraskans who are still unable to vote because they haven’t completed their sentences.